Beauty & All That

Sally Hansen Salon Effects for Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:00:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is just FOUR days away and whether you celebrate or not, why not wear some pink & red to put yourself in a good mood? Wearing them on your tips are an easy way to change up your look and you'll see it constantly.. wiggle your fingers while you type on a computer all day. :)

Here are three of my favorite patterns, from XOXO (replacing the O's with mini hearts), plaids with multicolors of red & pinks, and my favorite- hearts!! Lots of them!!
I've found the Salon Effects a process that takes lots of patience especially if you want perfection. But the effort you put in will pay off when you have gorgeous patterned tips perfect for Valentine's Day!

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Sally Hansen & White + Warren Collaboration

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:49:00 +0000

This winter I've been finding my hands particular dry and chapped. Mostly because I forget to wear my gloves.. :) Sally Hansen & White + Warren recently teamed up to give all purchasers of the White + Warren Fingerless Gloves this exclusive set of Sally Hansen favorites. The gloves are 100% cashmere and are currently priced at $40 (on sale on their website here.)

These four products will help heal, protect and make your nails perfectly polished for the winter.

The Sally Hansen set includes:
* Nail File in Medium- Round? Oval? Square? This file helps shape your nails to its perfecttion!

* Hand Cream- This is a great creme to moisturize the delicate skin on your hands and cuticles with Shea Butter. It's incredibly long lasting too so you'll feel protected all day.

* Nailgrowth Miracle Serum- I personally don't have an issue with slow growing nails, but I found this serum to soften my cuticles. Great bonus to have!

* Complete Salon Manicure in Right Said Red- this gorgeous red color will brighten hands and make it look younger..It's also perfect for Valentine's Day coming soon. :)

(Disclaimer: I received the Sally Hansen product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)
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How-to: Wake up Looking Gorgeous

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:05:00 +0000

How to Wake Up Looking Gorgeous

Softer hair and clearer skin can be yours overnight -- see how

This is a TotalBeauty.com beauty tips article

Let's face it: Nobody wakes up looking like Rachel McAdams or Halle Berry (even they don't look flawless first thing in the a.m.). Yet movies still perpetuate the myth of women waking up with perfect hair and skin. But what if we were to say it's not a myth? That there are ways to clear your skin, soften your hair, and even look younger overnight? See the 9 tricks to wake up prettier now.

Get tricks

How-to: Green your Beauty Routine

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Easy Ways to Green Your Beauty Routine

Think you have to give up all of your favorite products to get eco-friendlier? Think again. These tips will show you how easy it is to be green

This is a TotalBeauty.com hair care article

You tote a reusable bag to the farmer's market. You buy energy-efficient light bulbs. You even carpool to work every now and then. You know the virtues of going green -- and now it's time to get a little more conscious about your beauty stash. The good news: New eco-friendly technologies in the beauty industry mean you don't have to give up your go-to beauty regimen to clean up your act. Here are the small changes that pay off big

See tips

Best Buys at Sephora- from TotalBeauty.com

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:56:00 +0000

11 Best Buys at Sephora Right Now

We asked women walking out of our local Sephora to give us a peek inside their pretty black and white bags. See what's worth splurging on

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup article

There's nothing that gets us as giddy as a little girl on Christmas Day than spending an afternoon at Sephora. Their shelves are lined with new shadows, perfumes, and the latest products promising to make us look absolutely, positively amazing. But what's the stuff that's really worth the spendy price tag? We stalked Sephora customers to find out.

See them

My January Birchbox

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

This month's January Birchbox, themed: Clarity, was definitely one of my favorite boxes. I loved every single one of the products in there and have been using them since I got the box. It also included a full-sized Stila eyeliner. (Squeals!)

Here's what I got in my box this month:
*Larabar- delicious! I ate this the day after I received my box- delicious!
* Stila eyeliner
* Origins Checks and Balances Frothy face wash
* VMW Re-Everything Lotion
* Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy perfume sample
* Bonus: Birchbox magnet

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January GoGoGirlfriend Box

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

My latest GoGoGirlfriend Box has finally arrived!! Since they were on hiatus for a while (late November box and into December) I was quite excited to finally get mine this week. I actually saw in my member profile a few days ago the products I was going to receive so it wasn't a total surprise.. :)

As you can see, it's quite a full box which is why I am sticking with GoGoGirlfriend! As a premium member, I get this monthly box of goodies for $13 a month which is comparable to other monthly makeup boxes out there, such as Birchbox (which only has 4-5 samples). Last month's (see here)wasn't as quite full but this month definitely made up for it..

Here's what I got:
* Blossoms Lip Color Shimmer- Pretty red shade and super moisturizing bc it contains aloe
* Blossoms Lip Liner Pencil- Don't really use lipliner a lot but it's a nice red shade.
* Blum's Naturals Organic Exfoliating Orange Peel Towelette - excited to try this Towelette!
* Blum's Naturals Organic Pro Age Grape Seed Cleansing Towelette- excited to try this towelette too.. perfect for travel or on the go.. or may even after a gym session
* Comodynes Self Tanning Towelette Large- will probably try this on my legs?
* Floating Candle (1) - probably won't use this..
* GoGogirlfriend Natural Olive & Shea Butter Soap Sample- can' wait to try this sample
* RenuDerma Natural Cream Based Cleaner 4 gram sample- moisturizing cleanser.. pretty nice.
* Spa Terry Cloth Adjustable Velcro Headband- Using this daily when I wash my face and applying masks :)

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Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub - Influenster prizepack

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

As one of the Influenster's DermaE badgeholder winners, I received this amazing package from Derma E- a full sized Microdermabrasion Scrub and samples of their other products. I got hooked the moment I tried DermaE's Very Clear Cleansing scrub from my Influenster Green VoxBox (learn how to sign up for Influester.com)

Derma E's products are natural and gentle for my sensitive skin, so I was psyched to try their Microdermabrasion Scrub that is a salon-treatment alternative. They use a "crystal blend system to remove dead skin cells and absorb excess oils." After my first use, I immediately noticed a difference on my skin- soft, more polished and so smooth. No wonder this product has won so many beauty awards!

If you would like to get your own sample packets, they offer it for free on their website so you can sample at least 10 of their products. Check it out here. (You only pay S&H!)

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LaraBar Review

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:46:00 +0000

In my recent Holiday Voxbox from Influenster.com, I tried the Cherry Pie mini LaraBar. LaraBars come in many delcious flavors with minimal ingredients so you know exactly what you're eating. In my case, I had almonds, dates, and sweet cherries- in my Cherry Pie. All mashed together to make this bar, I had such a delicious treat! Since getting this, I've seen LaraBar pop into my other monthly boxes too! So many delicious flavors, these make great snacks especially when you're in the mood for something sweet in the afternoon.

See ALL the other flavors here.

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January's Fitness BlissMoBox

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:45:00 +0000

I recently got one of my fave monthly subscription boxes, BlissMo Box! If you've seen my previous box, the special one curated by GOOD, you'll know why I'm sticking with BlissMo.com. Their carefully selected products are from brands that make great ecofriendly products. I selected my January box's category: Fitness Foods since I've been on a fitness kick the past 2 months.

Here's what I got:
* 2 Orgain protein drinks in Chocolate Shake and Vanilla Shake flavors
* 2 PlatntFusion protein shake powders in Vanilla and Chocolate Raspberry flavors
* Kutoa health bar
* LaraBar - yummy!
* FoodsAlive crackers in flax seed
* Kopali Organics- dried mango- can't wait!

Overall, I'm excited to try another great box full of delicious snacks to eat after I work out. If you're interested in BlissMo boxes, check them out here!

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Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kit

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

If you're looking for a smooth, straight, frizz-free hair, then I have to recommend to you the Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30 Day Smoothing Kit. I received a sneak peek of this product back in December and I recently ended my 30 Days. Before using this, my hair was frizzy w/ many flyaways. Never having tried Keratin before, I was curious to see how it would work on my hair. I like that the kit doesn't contain formaldehyde but rather a Keralock Technology to infuse keratin protein for smooth, shiny hair for up to 30 days. My hair's usually slightly wavy but found that for the past 30 days, it has been wonderfully straight and with minimal frizz! YAY!

This at-home system was easy to use with three simple products- Smoothing Cream, Cuticle Seal Cream and Hair Defense Leave-In Conditioner. The Cuticle Seal Cream worked best on my hairtype because it helped eliminated frizz. And I will continue to use the Leave-In Conditioner as I found it worked well to protect my hair when blow-drying. So if you're looking for an affordable solution (less than $15!) to smooth your wavy, frizzy hair, here's your answer! :)

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

How-to: Give your Hair More Volume

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:18:00 +0000

10 Fastest Ways to Give Your Hair More Volume

Defy gravity with these hair-raising tricks

This is a TotalBeauty.com hair care article

Does your hair perpetually stick to your head regardless of how many products you use or hours you spend teasing? These professional techniques will give you that instant volume you crave. See them now.

Get volume

Makeup School Beauty Tips

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

10 Best Tips from Makeup School

One editor goes to makeup school and comes back with a notepad full of professional makeup techniques -- steal her tips

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup article

Makeup school is not only time-consuming, but it can cost up to $6,000 for just one introductory course. Becoming a professional makeup artist is no small feat, which is why we sent one beauty editor to three different makeup academies for you. Now you can learn how to apply your own makeup like a pro without spending the time or the cash yourself. You can thank us later.

See cheat sheet

NYC New York Color

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

For my Influenster Holiday Voxbox last month, I received the NYC New York Color Liquid Lip Shine in Nude York City. This nude color is one that you can wear everyday..it's super glossy but not that sticky. I like that it lasts long and gives you a beautiful sheen on your lips. They're also really affordable at your local stores, including Walmart, Target, Rite Aid, for just $2.49. If you're looking to try different colors on a low budget, look no further!

Check out shades at: http://www.newyorkcolor.com

Montagne Jeunesse

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:00:00 +0000

When I think of Montagne Jeunesse, I envision handy masque packets sold in my favorite drugstores. These brightly colored packs are perfect for traveling as they give your skin a great pick-me-up when traveling becomes stressful. (Learn more about these masks at: http://www.montagnejeunesse.com)

In my Influenster Holiday Voxbox, I received the Strawberry Souffle mask sample. This indeed was a delicious treat for my skin. The scent of strawberries was divine and my skin felt smooth and holiday-ready! I had intended to save this for an upcoming weekend trip but couldn't wait! I just had to try it out to help slough off dead skin from the winter and get my skin super smooth!

These mask packets are easily accessible at your local Walgreens, Walmart and ULTA Beauty stores. The different flavors are:
* Cucumber Peel Off
* Passion Peel Off
* Dead Sea Mud
* Fruit Smoothie
* Strawberry Souffle
* Chocolate Mud

Check them out at: http://www.montagnejeunesse.com

Join Lancôme & Michelle Phan at NYC's Sephora- January 5, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:53:00 +0000

One of the pioneer and personal fave YouTube makeup gurus, Michelle Phan will be at NYC's Sephora (Fifth Avenue location) Thursday evening. She is Lancôme's video makeup artist and has a limited edition Glamour Eyes set, exclusively sold in Sephora. On Thursday, January 5, customers can meet the guru herself and get some tips on how to get this Glamourous look!

The exclusive set includes the following:
a new Color Design 5 Pan Palette, Chic by Chelle, and other of Michelle’s Lancôme favorites: Artliner and Hypnôse Drama Mascara.

Event details:
WHO: Lancôme video makeup artist Michelle Phan

WHAT: Glamour Eyes limited-edition set and makeover

WHERE & WHEN: Sephora, 597 Fifth Avenue (between 48th and 49th Streets), New York
January 5th, 2012, 6-8 p.m.

See you there! :)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

SoftSoap Coconut Scrub

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

In my recent Influenster Holiday VoxBox, one of first things I wanted to try was the SoftSoap 2-pack Coconut Scrub bar soap. Been hooked on exfoliating soaps ever since I've been using similar one so I was excited to try this in a yummy coconut scent. This NEW SoftSoap bar soap is filled with crushed coconut extracts that act as gentle exfoliants on your skin so you're bound to have ridiculously clean skin! It's gentle enough to use daily which is perfect! It smells fantastic and I can't wait to try out more SoftSoap products. I've also found their bodywashes really moisturizing when I used them in the past so I'm exciting to start using them again.

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Sneak Preview: Schick Hydro Silk™ razor for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Not yet in stores until the end of January 2012, the NEW Schick Hydro Silk™ razor will give you the most closest shave ever! It has 5 blades- yes if they put any more, I wonder how large the razors will have to be, but these are patented curve sensing blades made for our skin! This razor, beautiful in design and less bulky than their Intuition razors, has a water-activated moisturizing serum so your skin also gets smooth and soft during the shaving process. This took about 2 years for Schick to develop and cannot wait to try this!!

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Schick® Intuition® Naturals Sensitive Care® Razor Review

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

I'm a huge fan of the Schick® Intuition® razors so I was excited to try the Naturals Sensitive Care® Razor. Packaged in a brown 55% post consumer recyclable cardboard box with floral designs, the look and feel of it is au naturelle. The limited edition razor handle is still plastic though but has a beautiful design. It's easy to hold on to in the shower stall, and it has a rubbery grip so it won't slip! Like the other Intuition products, the 4-blade razor for a remarkably close shave is surrounded with a moisturizing solid so there is no need to use additional shaving cream. The sold contains 100% aloe with vitamin E so you'll have a moisturized shaving experience, perfect for the dry winter condition.

Each Package Contains:
· Schick® Intuition® Naturals Sensitive Care® razor handle
· Two refill cartridges in Natural Aloe with soothing Vitamin E
· A shower hanger and convenient travel cap

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Beauty Resolution #1: Take care of my skin

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

As another year has gone by and I'm getting ready for a new start for 2012, it's important for me to set some goals. My first beauty resolution is to continue to take care of my skin. I'm already cleansing and moisturizing my face daily, but I need to continue to take care of the skin on the rest of my body. I discovered the perfect kit from Caudalie that will help me do just that for my body.

Say hello to "Once Upon a Vine"! (Valued at $71 for $38) This 4 piece set is perfect to exfoliate- with their Crushed Cabernet Scrub with crushed grape seeds and moisturize your body, hands, and lips! What I love about Caudalie is that they use ingredients that are gentle for my sensitive skin and has a sweet scent that smells natural. Oh and of course their products work really work too!

Their Crushed Cabernet Scrub is such a treat because it feels like I just left the Caudalie Spa at the Plaza Hotel in NYC. After using, my skin feels like new - with the grapeseed oil and seeds to exfoliate and moisturize. The body creams and hand lotions are also great to use with a slight citrus scent that leaves your skin feeling smooth and soft.

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Happy New Year- 2012 !

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:11:00 +0000

Want to wish you all a Happy New Year- It's 2012! I have lots of things to be thankful for since so many good things happened in 2011. (I like to focus on the positives here) and I am looking forward to an even more spectacular and beautiful 2012. :)

Stay tuned for lots more beauty posts! The holidays got in the way which explains my brief hiatus.. :D

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

My December Birchbox

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:03:00 +0000

I was excited with my November Birchbox, so to see this month's, I was hoping there would be more holiday-goodness. The products they selected were interesting but the sizes of the samples were so small! (Maybe I need to practice minimalism?) Really hope the January box for the New Year will be spectacular!! Here's what I got this month:

1) Ageless perfume sample- smells pretty good. Updating my perfume sample in my bag for emergency spritzes.
2) EBOOST- it's a powder that if you add water, it becomes an energy/immunity drink. Saving this for.. after New Year's!
3) Benefit's the POREfessional- haven't tried this yet either but I am looking forward to testing this. My skin has been too dry in the morning to even use a pore minimizer/mattifier.
4) ShowStoppers- 2 black strips of tape. Haven't found the need to use this since I have clear tape already.. will use this next month though for a party dress. :)
5) Jouer & birchbox's hot pink lip gloss- super bright pink and festive for the holiday party.. Huge fan of Jouer products, so glad to see they made this special color just for Birchbox subscribers. As always, Jouer's formula is spot-on!
6) NUXE Shimmer Oil- this is my favorite in the box. It gives your skin an Oscar-winning glow and makes my skin look so sheen! loveee this! And a little goes a long way.. go shimmer into 2012!

Have you not joined Birchbox yet? Join today to get your monthly beauty box of goodies!

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Keep your Head Warm this Winter with Scala Pronto's Winter Cloche hats!

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:00:00 +0000

During the winter, I like to keep my head & ears warm with a wooly hat. It's also helps if the hat is cute and fashionable. :) This winter, I got to try the Scala Pronto Cloche hat which is affordable and simple ageless. It's a classic look and comes in a variety of colors for all your outfits. It's incredibly soft- made of wool knit- and has a great silhouette for every person's face shape and complexion.

Until the end of the year, you can get a cloche hat 20% off for $24 (orig. $30) using promo code: "SCALAPRONTO" at womens-hats.com. There's also free ground shipping so you can get yourself a (late) holiday/New Year's gift for yourself or friends!

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

November Birchbox with BaubleBar!

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:01:00 +0000

(Note: I got this box back in November.. realized I didn't post! Forgive me :D )

I got another Birchbox in November! I've had this subscription for several months now and some months are definitely better than others. This month, I particularly enjoyed it because it had a lovely surprise- a BaubleBar bracelet! It's a black beaded bracelet, valued at $20, and is a cute to wear everyday. This box contained much more Useful products and I was definitely pleased. My new fave is the Klorane eye makeup remover which was great during my Thanksgiving travels.

* chocolate sample..delicious! It was firecracker flavored so it was popping all over. Wish it was a bigger sample though..
* Klorane eye makeup remover- perfect size and removed my eyemakeup well. (I was using only non-waterproof makeup)
* LaROCCA Body polish..fan of all body scrubs and this one was pretty good. Saving this for travel though since it is in a cute sample jar.
* ZOYA Nail polish.. Fun festive green color in a small bottle..again great for travel and touchups!
* Oscar Blandi protein mist spray.. I liked this spray. Made my hair more manageable and felt stronger!
* bauble bar bracelet.. Cute jewelry in a little pouch. Great to carry other accessories too.

Overall, I realized that I have been using more of the products in the boxes during travel because they are so handy to take with in my travel baggy. (I literally use a gallon sized ziploc to stash my liquids.) Hope birchbox continues to bring quality samples and hope they put at least 5 or 6!!! Definitely like the variety and there's always at least 2-3 I use consistently. :)

Have you not joined Birchbox yet? Join today to get your monthly beauty box of goodies!

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com

Kristin McGee's Body by Bethenny DVD Review

noreply@blogger.com (** Beauty and All That) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:28:00 +0000

Last month, I won Kristin McGee's daily giveaway on Twitter and scored a Body by Bethenny DVD! Kristin aka @thebendigirl on Twitter, has been doing daily giveaways on Twitter and FB since November, giving away her favorite products- Fila gear, DVDs, food/tea/workout snacks. I was lucky enough to score this DVD and been using it every week since I got it.

If you know Bethenny, aka the Skinny Girl, she's very quirky and has a fun attitude! In this DVD, you get to experience Bethenny's go-to workout that helps her get those sculpted arms. It's a 40-minute yoga routine and includes bonus segments- 10 minute strength, 5 minute booty workout and even a cooking segment. There's also a pamphlet inside to get some sample recipes from Bethenny's Skinnygirl Dish book.

The 40 minute basic yoga program will give you a great workout- with several warrior poses, downward dogs, and even a challenging plow pose at the end- which I love! It's all about "having no ego" in yoga so this is a great workout that I do weekly. I'm a fan of Kristin McGee- been following her workouts since I got the MTV Yoga/Pilates DVDs when it first came out! If only I had been practicing those DVDs daily back then... but I'm starting to get back into my routine, so I'm glad I will be adding this DVD to my collection!

If you haven't tried this DVD yet, check out acacialifestyle.com for more! They also have free 20 minute segment workout videos to enjoy for free!

Check out more blogs @ TotalBeauty.com